


as real as magic, all that and more

by isloremipsumafterall (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Femslash February, Femslash February Trope Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 03:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5952709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/isloremipsumafterall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ginny is tired of the reporters hounding her since she and Harry broke up and when Luna gets the wild idea that if she was dating someone new they might leave her alone and suggests they start dating. It works well until feelings get involved as they tend to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	as real as magic, all that and more

**Author's Note:**

> for the fake dating part of my femtrope bingo card and my first time writing these two so I hope I haven't messed them up

Ginny huffed at the throng of reporters hanging outside her house, just waiting for her to step outside the door alone. Ever since she and Harry had mutually broken up they’d been harassing the both of them, asking when either would start dating again and who.

 

She was tempted to use yet another gift from her brother of Zizzling Zoomania, a potion that when exposed to would cause people to see animals all around, but that seemed best saved for another time when she didn’t have access to a fireplace and thus could use floo powder to get out of her house.

 

It did beg the question of where she ought to go and she bit her lip, contemplating her options. Diagon alley was out, so was Ron and Hermione’s place and of course Harry’s, Neville might let her hide out at his place but he’d just gotten in new mandrakes and she didn’t fancy wearing mufflers in the hot summer weather. She could go to the quidditch pitch to practice of course for her new team position but that would also likely draw reporters and she just wanted one day of peace and quiet.

 

The idea hit her quickly, of the last place these reporters were likely to show up to and she nearly wanted to pat herself on the back for thinking it, rushing to grab her bag and the floo powder.

 

She stood in the fireplace and cleared her throat so she could say very precisely: “The Quibbler.”

 

~~

 

Luna didn’t even so much as blink as Ginny appeared in the fireplace, looking over to her slowly and then smiling widely.

 

“Hello Ginny.”

 

“Hello Luna.” Ginny said cheerfully, brushing some soot off of her jeans and stepping out of the fireplace to actually greet Luna with a quick hug.

 

“What brings you here?” Luna blinked at her, “Is it the Far Facing Thormindians, they can be quite awful this time of year.”

 

Ginny couldn’t help the small smile she had on her face, she’d missed the nonsensical creatures that Luna believed in, that may or may not have existed of course.

 

“No, not this time.” Ginny sighed, “It’s the horrible reporters hanging at my door that brought me here.”

 

“Oh dear,” Luna dropped her voice to a whisper, “Are they vampires.”

 

“Maybe,” Ginny snorted, “Trying to suck the life out of me that’s for sure. Ever since Harry and I broke it off they’ve been hounding me.” She raised her voice a pitch in mockery, “‘Did you cheat on Harry?’ ‘Did he cheat on you?’ ‘Who are you dating next?’” She fell into the chair next to the one Luna had been sitting in with another sigh, “The only way they’re going to leave me alone is if I do start dating someone at this rate. Then they’ll lose interest.”

 

Luna nodded her head, her eyes a little spaced out but Ginny knew she was still listening, the dangling eggplant earrings she wore jingled as she did.

 

“Perhaps you should find someone to date,” Luna began in her melodious tone, “Not seriously but as a cover. I suspect that many creatures use covers to protect themselves from being seen, like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.”

 

Ginny gaped, though the analogy was a little off the logic was still there, the problem was still however, “Who would I find willing to do that.”

 

“Well I would. I think lots of people would. They’d be lucky to date you.” Luna said and smiled at her so widely her eyes crinkled.

 

“Luna I couldn’t ask that of you,” Ginny frowned, “Or anyone really, it wouldn’t be fair.”

 

Luna waved her hand in the air, “It might be fun, like a game against the reporters. And we could spend some time together.” There was a hopeful note in Luna’s voice that made Ginny feel bad in the realization they hadn’t gotten to spend all that much time together since she’d joined the quidditch team and she truly had missed her friend.

 

“If you’re sure…” She said, biting her lip and offering Luna a way out.

 

“Of course I am.” Luna replied, her grey eyes not leaving Ginny.

 

“Okay then,” Ginny leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling, “I guess we can go on a date tonight.”

 

Luna clapped her hands and looked excited, “Do you think we could go looking for some Knarl-Toadied Imps? I’ve heard they wander in the woods at Hogsmeade. I never could find them while we were at Hogwarts.”

 

Hogsmeade would make a perfect dating atmosphere anyway, they’d be seen by lots of people and beyond traipsing through the woods could get butterbeer when they were done.

 

“Sounds perfect.” Ginny said, “Maybe together we can actually find them.”

 

“I think we might.” Luna said delighted.

 

~~

 

As soon as she’d been spotted at Hogsmeade the reporters began piling in with their self writing quills waving in the air and Ginny gritted her teeth so she didn’t lash out at them.

 

It was easier when Luna reached over to slip her hand in Ginny’s and offered her a small smile that made Ginny relax.

 

Of course the reporters noticed that too, their eyes wide and quills writing even faster so they could get the article of her new dating life out faster than anyone else.

 

“Maybe the Quibbler should take the article first,” Ginny joked to Luna, “It’s the only one I trust.”

 

Luna grinned happily at that and began humming, swinging their joined hands as they walked and Ginny felt her own heart feel light and happy in that moment.

 

“I really owe you for this Luna,” Ginny said, leaning in close to whisper it in Luna’s ear. To anyone else it looked like she’d be whispering a secret to a lover.

 

Luna turned her head slightly to look at Ginny, her grey eyes catching the torch lights of Hogsmeade at the night and making them look more like shining silver. Ginny’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of them and the way it made Luna more ethereal. She’d never been unaware of how Luna looked before, always thought she’d looked beautiful, but with her hand in Luna’s and being this close together it was like her mind was stuck on it.

 

“I’m enjoying myself.” Luna said, a bit dreamily, “I’ve never dated a quidditch star before.”

 

Ginny grinned, ducking her head slightly at the compliment, “I’ve got a game tomorrow, you should come.”

 

“That would help our story.” Luna nodded solemnly.

 

“Right,” Ginny blinked and for a second she’d forgotten they weren’t actually dating, “Our story.”

 

Luna continued to smile, pulling her closer in the direction of the woods and going on about all the creatures that they could find in there. Ginny tried to listen as best she could and offer her own insights to the occasional weird creature sightings she’d possibly had, giggling when Luna turned to her wide eyed and excited over them.

 

The summer night was warm enough that they’d rolled up the light sweaters they wore but cool enough their hands didn’t get sweaty as they didn’t let go.

 

Ginny followed Luna deep into the woods, her wand at her side and if she ‘accidentally’ Jelly-Legs Jinxed a reporter it was their own fault for following them anyway.

 

~~

 

Even up high on the quidditch pitch on her broom she could easily spot Luna decked out in the dark green and gold of the Holyhead Harpies colours in the stands and she couldn’t contain her grin at that.

 

Still she flew her best as the chaser, zooming around the field with the quaffle in her hand and scoring several points for her team.

 

Each time she did she glanced over in the stands to see Luna watching and cheering, a bizarre rendition of a harpy shrilling from a badge on her chest.

 

In the end her team won and when she met Luna in the tents afterwards it was easy to throw her arms around her in victory and laugh loudly.

 

“Congratulations,” Luna pressed a kiss to her cheek that made Ginny freeze for a second at the same time a flash went off and reporters took a picture.

 

She barely even took notice of them this time, still caught off guard by the proud look in Luna’s eyes and the excitement of victory flooding adrenaline through her veins.

 

A small part of her was tempted to draw Luna into a victory kiss, something more than a just a brush against the cheek but she bit her inner cheek hard to contain herself.

 

It was only fake after all, that thought settling a deep pit of sadness in her stomach that was only wiped away by Luna’s bright smile.

 

~~

 

“What am I doing?” Ginny groaned into the wood of the table where she rested her head, across from her Hermione was sipping tea.

 

“That’s a good question.” Hermione said, “You may have rushed into this a little…impulsive.”

 

Ginny looked up, making a face when a piece of parchment was stuck to her cheek and pulled it off.

 

“Just curious, have you told your mother about all this yet?”

 

Ginny stopped, a look of horror on her face, “Oh no.”

 

The politely demanding request that Ginny bring her girlfriend over for dinner was waiting for by owl when she got home that night.

 

~~

 

“I’ve already met your parents though.” Luna said with a blink, “I thought they liked me.”

 

“They did,” Ginny assured her, taking Luna’s hand, “But now we’re dating and that’s a different level of liking.”

 

Luna merely shrugged, “If you say so.”

 

They both stepped into the fireplace to take the floo powder trip to the Burrow, arriving with a flash and Molly was there to greet them both a hug, pausing only momentarily to take in the bright colours of Luna’s dress.

 

“Luna! So nice to see you again. How is your father?”

 

“He’s well. He’s searching for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, there were reports of it being seen in Asia. I don’t know what it would be doing up there though,” Luna laughed slightly, “It doesn’t like very populated areas.” She nodded as she finished.

 

Ginny tried not to snicker too much at her mother’s surprised face, looking over at Luna and winking to show that she thought it was going well so far.

 

“Well, you’ve arrived just in time, I’ve just set the table. Arthur!” She yelled for Ginny’s father, walking off to fetch him from whatever muggle contraption had caught his attention this time.

 

Ginny took advantage of her distraction to pull Luna into the kitchen towards the dining table that was set for four. It was strange to see so few places set at the Burrow for her, so used to the large family that had always been there but Ginny was a little relieved her brothers wouldn’t be at the dinner. George would probably have teased Ginny nonstop and she’d have been forced to kick him under the table the whole time.

 

“Now girls, you can feel free to dig in.” Molly took a seat at the table, passing them plates she had already loaded up with food.

 

“I was surprised to hear Ginny was dating again so soon after Harry.” Molly said idly and Ginny winced, hoping this wasn’t going to turn into another dinner where she had to explain that she and Harry broke up on amicable terms.

 

Ginny forced herself to shrug, “I’ve always liked Luna.” She said, not lying in the least.

 

Luna turned to her with a bright smile, “Ginny has always been one of the favourite people in my life.” She said it so sincerely that Ginny had to swallow down the sudden guilt she felt that this wasn’t real.

 

Molly hummed curiously and Ginny wished she’d warned Luna more about the pack of questions that were about to come her way when Arthur stepped in the kitchen, greeting them both with a smile.

 

“Luna Lovegood! A pleasure to see you again,” He reached out to shake Luna’s hand, “And I hear your dating my daughter, congratulations are in order then.”

 

It broke the awkwardness in the room that Ginny wasn’t even sure Luna had felt and her father and Luna began to cheerfully discuss each other’s work while Molly tried to bring the conversation back to quizzing Luna but failed.

 

All in all it didn’t go as bad as she hoped and Ginny rested her hand on top of Luna’s with ease, stroking it idly and thinking about how natural it felt.

 

~~

 

The first time they kissed it was after another quidditch game, Luna went to kiss her on the cheek again but Ginny turned to do the same with hers and their noses bumped as their lips touched, an awkward meeting that had them laughing and then Ginny leaned in again and kissed Luna without much thought.

 

It wasn’t until they were back at Ginny’s place that she even remembered it was all fake and was struck by the thought that she couldn’t do this anymore.

 

It wasn’t fair to Luna.

 

She just didn’t know how to explain that to Luna who was happily going on about plans for another date for them.

 

“Luna,” She began, reaching out to take Luna’s hand and stopping her, “I…I think that maybe that’s enough. The reporters have stopped chasing after me.” She bit her lip, “We don’t have to go on so many dates it…it isn’t fair.” She huffed, annoyed at herself and the situation she’d put herself in. “I really like you and dating you like this while I have feelings for you…” She trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.

 

Luna pulled her wrist out of Ginny’s grasp and she expected Luna to walk away just then but instead she raised her hands to rest on either side of Ginny’s face and smiled at her.

 

“Does this mean we can actually date if I like you too?” Luna asked, excitedly.

 

Ginny gaped at her for only a second before she pulled Luna forward into a hug, laughing as she did and chanting yet over and over.

 

They fell to the floor in a tumble when she lost her balance, giggling together and when Luna leaned in to kiss her Ginny easily kissed her back; glad she hadn’t lost the chance to and looking forward to doing it again.

 

 


End file.
